Fuel injection pump



March 9, 1965 P. L. SAWYER 3,172,362

FUEL. INJECTION PUMP Filed Nov. 21, 1962 Fig. 5

Philip L. Sawyer 1 N VE N TOR United States Patent 3,172,362 FUEL INJECTIQN PUW Philip L. Sawyer, 282 Owasco Road, Auburn, N.Y. Filed Nov. 21, 1962, Ser. No. 239,131 6 Claims. (Cl. 1032) This invention relates to a novel and useful fuel injection pump and more specifically to a fuel distributing pump which is suited for delivering measured quantities of fuel to a plurality of points of use in correct timed sequence.

The fuel injection pump of the instant invention includes a cylinder member having a piston rotatably and slidably disposed therein with one end portion of the piston being provided with a longitudinal outwardly opening slot communicated with one closed end of the cyl inder which defines a pumping chamber. A plurality of inlet and outlet ports are alternately spaced circumferentially about the cylinder and are communicated with the pumping chamber. Upon rotation of the piston, the longitudinal slot formed therein will be successively brought into communication with the inlet and outlet ports formed in the cylinder. Means is of course pro vided for rotating the piston Within the cylinder and in this manner the apparatus may be utilized as a fuel distributor as long as fuel is delivered to the inlet ports under pressure. However, means is also provided for effecting reciprocation of the piston in the cylinder and in this manner, the apparatus may be utilized as a fuel pump.

In addition to one end of the cylinder being closed, the other end of the cylinder is also closed and defines a second pumping chamber and inlet and outlet ports alternately spaced circumferentially about the cylinder are provided in the second closed end thereof. Further, the end of the piston adjacent the second closed end of the cylinder is also provided with a longitudinal outwardly opening slot wherein the pump may be utilized to pump measured quantities of fuel to twice the number of points of use serviced by one end of the cylinder. Finally, one end of the cylinder is provided with an abutment member which is adjustable longitudinally of the cylinder whereby the length of each stroke of the piston may be adjusted and in addition the abutment member is provided with an axial projection which is non-circular in cross section and which is slidingly received within a complementary recess formed in the adjacent end of the piston. The abutment member is rotatably received in the cylinder and may therefore be utilized to effect rotation of the piston.

The main object of this invention is to provide an eflicient fuel pump that may be manufactured at a low cost and actuated by an associated internal combustion engine by means of a simple and inexpensive driving mechanism.

A further object of this invention, in accordance with the immediately preceding object, is to provide a fuel pump having only two moving parts whereby maintenance and repair of the fuel pump may be maintained at a minimum.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a fuel pump constructed in a manner enabling close tolerances between the two moving parts of the pump to be inexpensively obtained.

A final object of this invention to be specifically enumerated herein is to provide a fuel pump in accordance with the preceding objects which will conform to conventional forms of manufacture, be of simple construction and readily adaptable for use on substantially all internal combustion engines so as to provide a device that will be economically feasible, long lasting and readily adaptable for use wherever desired.

3,172,362 Patented Mar. 9, 1965 "ice These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of the fuel pump of the instant invention taken substantially upon a plane passing through the longitudinal center line of the pump; and

FIGURES 25 are transverse sectional views taken substantially upon the planes indicated by the section lines 22, 33, 4-4, and 5-5 of FIGURE 1 respectively.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings, the numeral 10 generally designates the fuel pump of the instant invention.

From FIGURE 1 of the drawings it may be seen that the fuel pump 10 includes a cylinder generally referred to by the reference numeral 12 having a longitudinal bore formed therein which is closed at one end by means of an integral end wall 16. A rod-like piston 18 is rotatably and slidably received within the bore 14 and includes a pair of longitudinally extending generally radially outwardly opening slots 20 in its opposite end portions. Each of the slots 20 also opens outwardly of the corresponding end of the piston 18. The end of the cylinder 12 remote from the end wall 16 is externally threaded as at 22 and an end cap 24 is threadedly engaged on the end of the cylinder 12 remote from the end wall 16. The end cap 24 includes an end wall 26 which has a bore 22 formed therethrough. The bore 28 includes a counter bore 30 and a generally cylindrical abutment member 32 has its cylindrical shank portion 34 rotatably received through the bore 28 and also rotatably received in the open end of the bore 14. The abutment member 32 includes an annular abutment 36 which is seated in the counter bore 30 and an apertured end cap 38 is secured over the outer end of the counter bore 30 by means of suitable fasteners 40 with a second cylindrical shank portion 42 of the abutment member 32 being rotatably received through the aperture 44 formed through the end cap 38. The extended end of the abutment member 32 includes a non-circular end portion 46 which is slidingly received in a complementary blind recess 48 formed in a driving shaft 50.

The abutment member 32 includes an axial projection 52 which is also non-circular in cross section and projects toward the end wall 16. The adjacent end of the piston 18 has a longitudinally extending recess 54 formed therein which is complementary to the cross sectional shape of the projection 52 and in which the projection 52 is slidingly received. Accordingly, upon rotation of the drive shaft 50 the abutment member 32 and the piston 18 will be rotated about their longitudinal axes.

From FIGURES 1 and 3 of the drawings, it will be noted that the recess 54 is in communication with the adjacent slot 20 throughout the entire length of the recess 54. In this manner, the effective volume of the pumping chambers defined between the ends of the piston 18 and the end wall 16 and the abutment member 32 are maintained equal.

With attention now directed to FIGURES 1 through 3 of the drawings, it may be seen that a plurality of inlet and outlet ports 58 and 60 are alternately spaced circumferentially about the cylinder 12 and are communicated with the bore 14 at their inner ends. One set of the inlet and outlet ports 54 and 60 are disposed at each end of the cylinder 12 and are communicated with the corresponding pumping chambers.

A pair of electro-magnet windings 62 and 64 are secured to and extend about the cylinder 12 and may be alter- 3 nately actuated to effect reciprocation of the piston 18 which comprises an armature for each of the windings 62 and 64.

In operation, the driving shaft 50 may be drivingly connected to any suitable output shaft of a given internal combustion engine and utilized to rotate the piston 18. Then, a source of fuel under pressure may be communicated with each of the inlet ports 58. Upon rotation of the piston 18, the piston 18 will be reciprocated by means of the introduction of fuel under pressure into the pumping chambers. Upon the introduction of fuel under pressure into one of the pumping chambers through a corresponding one of the inlet ports the piston 18 will be forced toward the remote end of the cylinder 12 whereby fuel disposed in that pumping chamber will be forced outwardly through the outlet port 60 with which the corresponding slot 20 is registered.

However, a supply of fuel not under pressuremay be communicated with each of the outer ends of the inlet ports 58 and the electro-magnet windings 62 and 64 may be alternately actuated to effect reciprocation of the piston 18. It is to be understood that the windings 62 and 64 will be actuated in timed sequence with rotation of the drive shaft 50 by any conventional distributor means (not shown) operatively connected to the drive shaft 50 thereby assuring that the windings 62 and 64 will be actuated in proper timed sequence with the rotation of the piston 18,

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A fuel distributor comprising a cylinder having a closed end and a piston rotatably and slidably disposed therein, one end portion of said piston having a longitudinal and radially opening slot formed therein opening through the end face of said one end portion of said piston, said closed end of said cylinder defining a pump ing chamber, a first set of inlet and outlet ports formed in said closed end of said cylinder spaced circumferentially thereabout and communicating with said pumping chamber, means operatively connected to said piston and operative to effect unidirectional rotation of said piston for successively bringing said slot into registry with said inlet and outlet ports, the other end of said cylinder being also closed and defining a second pumping chamber, said cylinder also including a second set of inlet and outlet ports spaced circumferentially thereabout and communicating with said second pumping chamber, and the other end portion of said piston also having a longitudinal and radially outwardly opening slot formed therein opening through the end face of the other end portion of said piston and registrable with the last mentioned inlet and outlet ports, said sets of ports each being disposed between parallel planes extending transversely of said cylinder and defining the remote limit positions of movement of the corresponding slot.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said means operative to efiect rotation of said piston also includes means operative to effect reciprocation of said piston in timed sequence with rotation of said piston, an abutment member disposed in one end of said cylinder, adjustable longitudinally of said cylinder and engageable with the adjacent end of said piston for limiting the length of each full stroke of said piston in said cylinder.

3. The combination of claim 2 wherein said abutment member is rotatably received in said one end of said cylinder and includes an axial projection extending toward the opposite end of said cylinder, said piston including an axially extending recess non-circular in cross section snugly and slidably receiving said projection, said abutment member comprising said means for rotating said piston.

4. The combination of claim 3 wherein at least the inner end of said recess is'in communication with the adjacent one of said slots.

5. The combination of claim 4 wherein said recess is in communication with the adjacent slot throughout the entire length of said recess.

6. The combination of claim 1 wherein said means for effecting reciprocation of said piston comprises a pair of electro-magnet windings spaced longitudinally of said cylinder and adapted to be actuated alternately so as to alternately magnetically attract said piston toward the opposite ends of said cylinder in direct response to and in timed relation with rotation of said piston.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,843,733 2/32 Powell l03-157 2,279,740 4/42 Matteson 103175 2,436,493 2/48 Shepard 103-157 2,627,811 2/53 Van Ryan 103- 157 2,905,098 9/59 Monelli 103-175 FOREIGN PATENTS 509,222 10/30 Germany. 82,985 3/35 Sweden.

LAURENCE V. EFNER, Primary Examiner 

1. A FUEL DISTRIBUTOR COMPRISING A CYLINDER HAVING A CLOSED END AND A PISTON ROTATABLY ANND SLIDABLY DISPOSED THEREIN, ONE END PORTION HAVING A LONGITUDINAL AND RADIALLY OPENING SLOT FORMED THEREIN OPENING THROUGH THE END FACE OF SAID ONE END PORTION OF SAID PISTON, SAID CLOSED END OF SAID CYLINDER DEFINING A PUMPING CHAMBER, A FIRST SET OF INLET AND OUTLET PORTS FORMED IN SAID CLOSED END OF SAID CYLINDER SPACED CIRCUMPERENTIALLY THEREABOUT AND COMMUNICATING WITH SAID PUMPING CHAMBER, MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID PISTON AND OPERATIVE TO EFFECT UNIDIRECTIONAL RETATION OF SAID PISTON FOR SUCCESSIVELY BRINGING SAID SLOT INTO REGISTRY WITH SAID INLET AND OUTLET PORTS, THE OTHER END OF SAID CYLINDER BEING ALSO CLOSED AND DEFINING A SECOND PUMPING CHAMBER, SAID CYLINDER ALSO INCLUDING A SECOND SET OF INLET AND OUTLET PORTS SPACED CIRCUMFERENTIALLY THEREABOUT AND COMMUNICATING WITH SAID SECOND PUMPING CHAMBER, AND THE OTHER END PORTION OF SAID PISTON ALSO HAVING A LONGITUDINAL AND RADIALLY OUTWARDLY OPENING SLOT FORMED THEREIN OPENING THROUGH THE END FACE OF THE OTHER END PORTION OF SAID PISTON AND REGISTRABLE WITH THE LAST MENTIONED INLET AND OUTLET PORTS, SAID SETS OF PORTS EACH BEING DISPOSED BETWEEN PARALLEL PLANES EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY OF SAID CYLINDER AND DEFINING THE REMOTE LIMIT POSITIONS OF MOVEMENT OF THE CORRESPONDING SLOT. 